The relationships between humans and our companion animals are so complex. I am only beginning to understand a small portion of everything I would like to learn about this subject. I hope to someday have time to formally study human-animal interactions and humane education. For now, I read and learn through interacting with other people.
Few children who harm animals grow up to be serial killers, but many do grow up to abuse their intimate partners and their children. Stopping abuse towards animals is a worthy activity in and of itself. But if we teach children early to be compassionate towards animals, we can also help to reduce domestic violence and child abuse in the human community. [click to continue reading...]
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Question: What do you think is the most significant change that companion animals – dogs in particular – bring to society and/or our individual lives? Answer from Cathleen Schine I think the most significant change that companion animals – dogs in particular – bring to our lives is, ironically, an expansion of our human interaction. Of course there are other important changes that dogs give us–an awareness of one’s ignorance of the complicated language of pee, for example; or a realization of how little room on a bed one really [click to continue reading...]
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Question: What do you think is the most significant change that companion animals – dogs in particular – bring to society and/or our individual lives? Answer from Zennia Barahona The most significant change that companion animals – dogs in particular – bring to society and/or our individual lives is unconditional love. There truly is no other relationship that we can even hope to have between ourselves and another human in which we will only always receive a pure un-selfish love. It’s said time and time again, but my dogs have [click to continue reading...]
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Question: What do you think is the most significant change that companion animals – dogs in particular – bring to society and/or our individual lives? Answer from Heather King The benefits that companion animals bring to us go far beyond the values and lessons learned from caring for the life of a living, breathing animal. Being a dog owner changes your life for the better because they provide unconditional love and protection—something that once experienced is hard to live without. I have the privilege of sitting on the board of [click to continue reading...]
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Earlier today, someone cleverly named "Anon" left the following comment on my recent post Things I’d Love to See in My Lifetime. Because of their brief lifespans, too much emphasis on companion animals isn’t good for a society or an individual. If Snickers is already five, he’ll be dead in about seven years anyway. My first thought was "that was mean" but, then of course, that may have been the point. Luckily, I can’t be baited quite that easily. My second thought was "oh my god, the last five years [click to continue reading...]
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